Chopper box gate control



Sept; 8, 1953 A. J. MEYER CHOPPER BOX GATE CONTROL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 18, 1952 m W WM m J.

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Sept. 8, 1953 A. J. MEYER CHOPPER BOX GATE CONTROL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept 18, 1 952 Fig. 5

Alvin J. Me yer JNVENTOR.

Q BY Patented Sept. 8, 1953 CHOPPER BOX GATE CONTROL Alvin' J. Meyer, Dorchester, Wis. I Application September 18, 1952, Serial No. 310,311

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in closure opening devices and the primary object of the present invention is to provide a resilient connection between a'closure and the structure on which the closure is swingably mounted, that will aid inpermitting convenient opening of the closure and which will also act to yieldingly retain the closure in its closed position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cushioning and opening means for chopper boxes involving a pair of coil springs that will be shifted back and forth across the pivot means for. the closure of a chopper box to maintain the closurein its closed position and to aid in urging the closure to its open position when the springs are shifted across. the pivot means during initial opening of the closure.

A further object of the present invention i to provide a closure cushioning and opening means for chopper boxes that may be quickly and readily attached to or removed from a conventional chopper box structure without in any way interfering with the normal useof the chopper box ences being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary side elevational view of a chopper box and showing the present invention operatively connected to the sides of the box 3 Claims. (CL 296-56) and the closure of the box, the closure being in Figure 4 is a rear fragmentary view of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of Figure l; and Figure 6 is a rear elevational view of Figure 1 in slightly reduced scale.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral [0 represents the side frame members of a chopper box, wagon box,[

truck body or the like which are connected by any suitable means. One end edge of a vertically swingable closure or gate I2 is pivotally or hingedly secured to the rear ends of the side members ID, as at l4, whereby the closure may be swung downwardly to a closed position or swung upwardly to an open position.

Anchor plates [6 are secured to the outervfaces of the-side members II] by fasteners or'the-like 18. The upper end portions of the plate l6 extend well above the horizontal pivot means l4 for the closure and fixedly support outwardlyv projecting headed lugs 20 that are engaged by the forward hook ends 22 of elongated spring members or coil springs 24.

Plate members 26 are secured to the outer face of closure l2 by fasteners or the like 28. The plate members 26 are horizontally aligned with one another and are located at opposite side edges of the closure. The plate members. 26 are formed with bearing sockets or recesses 30 that receive horizontal pivot pins 32 which are fixed to and project perpendicularly from guide sleeves 34.

Threaded rods 36 are slidably received in the sleeves 34 and terminate in hooks 38 that engage the rear terminal hooks 40 of springs 24. Nuts 42 are threaded on the ends of the rods 36 remote from the hooks 38 and abut the sleeves 34 to permit longitudinal adjustment of the rods 36 within the sleeves 34 for the purpose of adjusting the tension of springs 24.

Means is provided for limiting opening movement of closure I2 and for reducing loosening in the pivotal connection between the closure and the side frame members. This means comprises a pair of flexible members or chains 44 having terminal eyes 46 and 48. Eyes 46 receive fasteners 50 that are threadedly secured to the lower ends of the plate 16 and eyes 48 receive the pivots of sleeves 32.

In practice use of the present invention, and assuming that the closure I2 is in its closed position as shown in Figure 1, a user will pull the lower end of the closure l2 upwardly until the springs 24 shift upwardly across the pivot means M. In this position, as shown in Figure 2, the springs 24 will yieldingly urge the closure l2 upwgrdly to its open position as shown in Fig ure 7 As the closure I2 is lowered, springs 24 will be shifted downwardly across the pivot means l4 and as the springs 24 will then be located below the pivot means H, the springs will yieldingly retain the closure l2 in its closed and lowered posi tion as shown in Figure 1.

Should the springs 24 lose some of their resilient characteristics, then the nuts 42 are adjusted to compensate for the loss in resiliency of the springs 24. Chains 44 will limit the upward swinging movement of the closure [2 so that the closure l2 will be in a substantially horizontal position when it is in its completely open position as shown in Figure 3.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent-to those skilled: in

upwardly well beyond the pivot, and a coil spring terminally attached to the upper portion of the plate and the closure, said spring extending above the pivot when the closure is in its open position and shifting across the pivot as the closure is moved to its closed position to retain the closure in its closed portion, and means adjustably and pivotally attaching one end of the spring to the closure, said means attaching one end of the spring to the closure including. a plate member secured to the'closure, a :slevepivotally mounted on the plate member and a rod slidably adjustably received in the sleeve and attached at this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprebonded by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a chopper box including a vertically swingable closure having a horizontal pivot, a cushioning means for the closure comprising an anchor plate attached to the box and extending upwardly well beyond the pivot, and a coil spring terminally attached to the upper portion of the plate and the closure, said spring extending above the pivot when the closure is in its open position and shifting across the pivot as the closure is moved to its closed position to retain theclosure' in its closed portion, and means adjustably and pivotallyattaching one end of the spring to the closure comprising a member pivotally mounted on said closure and a rod slidably adjustable in said member and to which said end of the spring is attached.

2'. In a chopper box including a vertically swingable closure having a horizontal pivot, a cushioning means for the closure comprising an anchor plate attached to the box and extending one end to the spring.

3. In a chopper box including a vertically swingable closure having a horizontal pivot, a cushioning means for the closure comprising an anchor'plate attached to the box and extending upwardly well beyond the pivot, and a coil spring terminally attached to the upper portion of the plate andthe closure, said spring extending above the pivot when the closure is in its open position and shifting across the pivot as the closure is moved to its closed position to retain the closure in its closed portion, and means adjustably and pivotally attaching one end of the spring to the closure, said means attaching one end of the spring to the closure including a plate member secured to the closure, a sleeve pivotally mounted on the plate member and a rod slidably adjustably received in the sleeve and attached at one end to the spring, and a limiter chain terminally attached to said plate and said .plate member limiting opening movement of said closure.

ALVIN J. MEYER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 577,838 Cowan Mar. 2, 1897 660,106 Gross Oct. 23, 1900 1,883,473 Barrett .1. Oct. 18, 1932 2,246,602 Schultz June 24, 1941 2,479,437 Vigmostad et a1. Aug. 16, 1949 2,502,093 Johnson Mar. 28, 1950 2,538,930' Zummach Jan. 23, 1951 

